


A Lark Stretches Her Wings

by Lots_of_Little_Pink_Clouds



Series: Birds of a Feather [3]
Category: Choice of Games, Vampire: The Masquerade, Vampire: The Masquerade (Choice of Games Visual Novels), Vampire: The Masquerade - Night Road
Genre: Blood Bond (mentioned), Childe/Sire Bond(s) (mentioned), Choice of Games - Freeform, F/M, Vampires, Vaulderie (Vampire: The Masquerade) (mentioned)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-09
Updated: 2021-02-09
Packaged: 2021-03-14 20:40:58
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,143
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29302086
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lots_of_Little_Pink_Clouds/pseuds/Lots_of_Little_Pink_Clouds
Summary: December 2nd 2002Julian Sim falls onto his back in exhaustion, breathing heavily as he stares up at the sky. Beside him, Lark hangs her head, hands on her knees as she pants. The maroon clip that holds up her dark hair has come loose, letting strands fall about her shoulders and stick to her face. A hoarse, wet sound bubbles up from her throat as she laughs, a high pitch chord verging on hysterical. Julian thinks its the adrenaline."I can't believe it!" She collapses beside him and wipes her eyes, smearing red across her face. "That actually worked?"**The Courier flees Tucson with help from her friend-with-benefits, Julian Sim.
Relationships: The Courier/Julian Sim
Series: Birds of a Feather [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2092887
Comments: 2
Kudos: 2





	A Lark Stretches Her Wings

**December 2nd 2002**

They duck into an alley at the edge of the city. In the distance, sirens echo throughout Tucson's streets. A firetruck passes by their hiding place, speeding towards the torrent of flame that engulfs one of the city's few high-rise buildings. An eagle circles over the carnage, flying above out of reach.

Julian Sim falls onto his back in exhaustion, breathing heavily as he stares up at the sky. Beside him, Lark hangs her head, hands on her knees as she pants. The maroon clip that holds up her dark hair has come loose, letting strands fall about her shoulders and stick to her face. A hoarse, wet sound bubbles up from her throat as she laughs, a high pitch chord verging on hysterical. Julian thinks its the adrenaline.

"I can't believe it!" She collapses beside him and wipes her eyes, smearing red across her face. "That actually worked?"

"I told you it would. But did you believe me?" Julian coughs and thumps his head against the asphalt. "No! You were all 'Troile's1 anger consumes him' and 'he's caught our scent' and-"

Lark kisses him. It's a rough, bruising, teeth clacking kiss. Julian tastes the bloody tears on her cheeks.

"-and then you just _had_ to use the serum even though I said _it was a prototype_ -," he continues after she pulls away. She snorts and rolls her eyes. He's glad to see it.

"Birds are shoved out of nests so they'll learn to fly."

"-and we should've grabbed a car on our way out-"

"You don't have one ready?"

"Of course I have one ready, who do you think I am?" Julian sits up and runs a hand through his hair. "You know, when you said 'blue blood spills in the sand,'2 I didn't think you meant it _that_ literally."

According to Lark, her pack3 ambushed the Ventrue Prince of Tucson and his retinue in the middle of the street. The few remaining Anarchs in the city and several coteries joined in and a Battle Royale ensued. The Sabbat were heavily outnumbered, but held their ground because it was difficult to differentiate between factions in the chaos. Then, while everyone was distracted, a Rolls Royce sped around the corner and shot a crossbow bolt the size of a javelin straight through the Prince's heart. The driver pulled up beside him, sprinkled a shit ton of gasoline on him, and lit him up.

At least, that's what Lark _thought_ happened. She noped out as soon as the Prince got shot. Julian doesn't think she was too far off the mark though, given the huge fire that currently threatens to burn down all of Tucson.

Honestly, he didn't have enough time to really think about it before the raging Anarch that tailed her barreled into his living room and they had to bail.

Lark lightly tugs on his hair, jolting him out of his thoughts. "It was ready."

"I was still running tests-"

"You just wanted to make it better. But perfect is perfect. If it wasn't now, it was never."

He sighs again. "I _know_ you're right. But still, it could've been so cool!"

She shakes her head, lips twitching into a smile. Then she pushes herself to her feet and stretches.

Julian takes a moment to admire how her back arches with a dancer's flexibility. Her heterochromatic eyes meet his. He raises an eyebrow, daring her to say something. Without breaking eye contact, she reaches up to readjust her hair clip and bites her lip as she pins her hair back in place. She winks. He smirks and stands.

"So how does it feel to be a free woman?" He leans against the wall of the alley and crosses his arms. He relishes how her gaze lingers.

"I don't feel any different," Lark replies. She looks up in thought, quickly shifting gears to something more serious. "Maybe it hasn't fully kicked in?"

"Any chest pain? A tugging sensation in your mind? A need to throw up?"

"No, no, and absolutely not, why would you say that."

Julian raises both hands in a placating gesture. "Hey, it happens sometimes! I don't know if the Sabbat bond4 works that way, so it doesn't hurt to check."

She purses her lips and starts pacing. After a moment, she shakes her head. "Yeah, no. Nothing."

"Then it worked. What're you so worried about?"

"It's taking a bit to sink in." She wraps her arms around herself. "What do I do now?"

"Whatever you want." He shrugs. "Though you should probably get out of the city first."

"Yeah. Yeah, the Rook's not gonna be happy." A smile lights up her face. "I'm _free_. I'm _actually_ free." She turns to Julian. " _Thank you_."

"You're not out of the woods yet. I've got an old car you can use. Here." He pushes off the wall and hands her the keys. "It's at that motor repair shop, you know the one? The one beside the Chinese takeout? Real nice people. Just let them know I sent you. It should get you to wherever you're going next. I suggest Phoenix first - larger population to hide in. And you should ditch it - the car - ASAP to avoid being tracked."

She rolls her eyes. "I'm not totally incompetent, son of Haqim."

"I never said that. But this is important, Lark. It's only a matter of time before someone realizes this whole mess wasn't just gang violence, or whatever else the Camarilla spins it as."

Lark sighs. Julian knows she agrees, at least partially.

"But that time isn't now. Right now, I need to leave before the Rook notices something's amiss." She stares at the keys then looks back at him. "What about you?"

"I've still got stuff to do here. Gonna keep my head down for a bit, wait for things to settle." He sees her frown. "I'll be fine. You gotta get going though. And don't forget you owe me one. I'll find you when I come up with something."

"I never go back on my word. You know this." She tilts her head, pouting.

Julian grins. "I'll see you around then, yeah? Don't be a stranger."

Lark hugs him. He wraps his arms around her in return and knocks their heads together. She grumbles. He chuckles when she pinches his side in retaliation. They stay like that for a time before he feels her lips brush against his ear.

"Izzy," she whispers to him.

"Hmm?"

"A lark is a songbird, but an Izzy is me."

She kisses his cheek. And then she's slipping from his grasp like water and darting out of the alleyway with inhuman speed.5

"'Izzy' huh," Julian muses. He shoves his hands into his pockets, staring after her. A smile breaks out across his face.

He can work with that.

**Author's Note:**

> 1\. Troile was the first childe of the Brujah antediluvian. They also later diablerized their sire. Back  
> 2\. Refers to a line towards the end of [this fic](https://archiveofourown.org/works/28687191). Back  
> 3\. Packs are the Sabbat equivalent of a Camarilla coterie. Back  
> 4\. Vaulderie is a type of Blood Bond unique to the Sabbat. See [here](https://whitewolf.fandom.com/wiki/Vaulderie) for more information. Back  
> 5\. Celerity. By V5 rules, Izzy's predator type is Alleycat, which grants one dot in either Celerity or Potence. Back
> 
> Lark was the name given to Izzy by her sire, Gerard Pelletier (more on him [here](https://archiveofourown.org/works/28786023/chapters/70592013)). While she can't use her real name because she still has living family, she's reclaiming part of her old identity by choosing to go by "Izzy" instead. Julian's the first person she tells because he's been such a good friend and has helped her out a lot.
> 
> ... And then he calls in his favour and has her diablerize Aila. Which. Izzy can't say no to because she always keeps her word. So. Big yikes. And nothing's ever the same between them again.


End file.
